UAE billionaire and prominent business leader Khalaf Ahmed Al Habtoor has renewed his call for shorter school days in the country, stating that the number of hours spent inside the classroom is not a true measure of educational quality.
His latest remarks, made on Friday, November 14, have reignited debate among parents, educators, and policymakers.
Al Habtoor, Chairman of the Al Habtoor Group, has repeatedly advocated for reforming the country’s school schedules. Earlier in May, a similar statement from him drew wide attention, with many parents arguing that prolonged school days are affecting children’s mental health, physical wellbeing, and family life.
Some expressed concerns that students return home exhausted, leaving little room for rest or extracurricular activities.
“I said that a student who sits in school from morning until evening will not be more productive—most likely, they will simply be more tired. Still, some disagreed with me, arguing that ‘the curriculum needs more time,’” Al Habtoor wrote.
He added that piling hours onto students, on top of extensive homework, only dampens their interest in learning. “Sometimes we pile hour upon hour on students and overwhelm them with endless homework, then wonder why they lose enthusiasm, why their focus drops, or why education becomes a burden instead of something they love,” he noted.
In his post, Al Habtoor tagged the UAE Ministry of Education and Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), urging authorities to re-evaluate the current system not to reduce learning but to enhance it.
“I hope we also review our school hours — not to reduce learning, but to improve its quality, restore life to the student, and bring the smile back to their day,” he added.
Pointing to International Models
This time, Al Habtoor cited Switzerland’s educational model to strengthen his argument. He highlighted that Swiss students typically attend shorter school sessions and follow an academic calendar divided into balanced cycles of six to eight weeks of classes followed by one- or two-week breaks
. According to him, this approach recognizes that “a child is not a machine” and values teaching quality over prolonged classroom time.
He emphasized that rest is essential for young minds to function effectively and argued that countries with shorter school hours often produce strong academic outcomes due to better teaching strategies.
Al Habtoor further remarked that many of the UAE’s own nation-builders — including ministers and senior officials — studied in simple schools with fewer hours and less demanding curricula, yet succeeded due to determination, discipline, and effective learning environments.
A Growing Debate Amid Traffic Woes
The discussion around school timings has intensified in recent months, especially as Dubai residents grapple with rising traffic congestion. Many families say long commutes combined with extended school hours are taking a toll on both students and parents.
Al Habtoor’s renewed call adds momentum to a nationwide conversation on whether the UAE should rethink its educational structure and adopt practices that prioritize wellbeing, balance, and quality learning.